B-18 Bolo, new kit, old kit, have a fit...

What all does this kit give you? And does it look as if it is easily combineable with one's preferred DC-3/C-47 kit? I believe Execuform may have also released a 1/72nd vac-form as well. If so, the clear parts (if up to their usual standards) would be *excellent*. As far as a current address for Execuform, that is a mystery to me. Back in 1998, I ordered a few replacement clear-parts for items I had misplaced, and he sent them to me promptly, and "on-the-house" - his usual great service. The address back then was:

Execuform PO Box 347 Cedar Glen, CA 92321-0347

909-337-6672

Hopefully, he is still around, as his kits, though *very* basic, were still *very* nice.

Here is another address, which appears to be more up-to-date:

Execuform PO Box 7853 Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-2146

714-495-0705

Lo and behold, here are some photos of the afore-mentioned Execuform kit, completed with the help of an Italeri C-47:

Was "Bolo" an official or Douglas nickname? Because back then "Bolo" was short for bolshevik--it mean deadbeat, subversive and all around pain in the ass

It is also of Spanish and/or Filipino origin, meaning a large machete-like knife. It's also the name for those cool little turquoise and silver, and shoestring neckties that "real" Texans wear (* grin *).

A very cool plane; that actually saw postwar service with the airline industry (usually in the cargo capacity). One of the great "unknowns" is whether or not it ever saw hostile action in the opening stages of WW-II. It was deployed throughout the Pacific, but records in those frantic opening months were, as they say, "spotty".

You mean aside from being shot up as ground-bound cannon fodder. ;-)

B-18s re-equipped for ASW service with MAD detectors, radar, etc (RCAF "Digbys" and USAAF B-18Bs) accounted for the loss of a couple of Adolf's U-boats early in the war.

WmB

Actually, for a really accurate B-18, it might be better to start with a DC-2 kit such as MPM's. I don't know how the B-18 conversion components break down or if all the necessary fiddly bits are there, but the B-18 is DEFINITELY more "DC-2 like" rather than "DC-3/C-47 like". Not surprising since the B-18 design was based on the DC-2 airliner. This is particularly noticeable around the engine nacelles.

I'm a volunteer at the Wings Over The Rockies Museum in Denver and we have a Douglas B-18A Bolo in our collection. It was possible to do a direct comparison between our B-18A and a DC-3/C-47 (actually an airworthy C-41A used by Gen Hap Arnold) because the Museum had both aircraft in its posession (the C-41A was recently sold). The B-18A currently on display had a pretty undistinguished military career but its civilian life was more colorful. After the war it was used as a crop duster/cargo hauler and acquired a solid nose to replace the bombardier glass. It was impounded in the early '60s after it was discovered smuggling guns to Cuba. After that, it went to Cannon AFB where it's believed it was placed on display. It was acquired by the Lowry AFB Heritage Museum in the mid-80s and the metal shop at Lowry fabricated a somewhat inaccurate glass nose replacement. It became part of the Wings Over The Rockies Museum's collection when Lowry AFB closed in 1994. Photos and info about our B-18A Bolo is available at:

Martin

The transkit is rather simple and consists of the fuselage and the clear parts. They indicate using the Airfix C-47 which was about all that was available at the time. I was hoping to find some Airmodel parts as chiseling the guy at Execuform for parts when I don't even have his kit isn't the most honest way to go. I suppose I could offer him a few bucks. I'm envisioning fit issues between the two kits.

Execuform makes nice stuff, I've had a few of their products through my hands but never built one. Most of them are drape molded which means there's no exterior detail. The pix of the finished kit look nice.

The one in the WOR Museum looks slick, I saw a similar one at Pima in

2004 (where's that disk?) That's the version I'd prefer to model. Not many books available on this beast.

Hoping one of you has a piece or two... The Keeper

bolos are also very famous autonomous armored fighting vehicles by author keith laumer. they are 150 ton intelligent monters units. i would love for someone to model one. my skills aren't there yet. see the book bolo by laumer. they are amazing, sentient machines with a sense of humor. anyone up for a challenge? cookie? there are many bolo stories and books. tredheads will love thm.

Speaking of the B-18. Any of you ever see that old groaner "Bombardier" with Pat O'Brien and Randolph Scott? Real wartime B/S! But lots of scenes of B-18s as trainers.

Bill Shuey

e wrote: : : bolos are also very famous autonomous armored fighting : vehicles by author keith laumer. they are 150 ton : intelligent monters units. : I thought about doing a 1/35 scale Bolo Mk XXX, until I realized that the MODEL would be 10 METERS long. :-]

To make a practical sized model of a Mk XXX, you would have to go to 1/350 scale.

Bruce

Is that the one where Scott ends up on the ground at a Japanese target, thus ensuring his own death? I haven't seen that one in a looong time. I can't even recall the aircraft in it.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

That's the one!!

Bill shuey

Mad-Modeller wrote:

that would still be an impressive model. love to see it. the xxx's and xxxi's are my faves, though a model of johnny , (jne 1) would be very cool. one could probably bash a mark

1a1a into one of the early 1 or 2 man hybrids. maybe some day....